Should we continue letting the “ludicrously dishonest” (well stated Avik Roy) presumptions of the ACA shape the future of our healthcare delivery system?

I think not.

Prior to the ACA, 6 states (Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Vermont and Washington) required guaranteed issue individual plans. In 2010 these states had some of the highest individual insurance rates in the country:

There were another 35 states that offered guaranteed issue high risk pools:

That means 41 states already had access to guaranteed issue individual health insurance plans prior to the ACA.

Here’s another point… around my part of the country (KS / MO) the guaranteed issue plans available prior to the ACA were less expensive than the non-subsidized 2017 individual plans!

ACA proponents are quick to point out that there are more people insured now than prior to the ACA. What they fail to mention is that most of those gains are from new Medicaid enrollments (15 million) vs. state or federal Marketplaces (11 million):

Include Price Transparency legislation letting patients know up front what tests and procedures will cost

And since health insurance does not equal health care, there needs to be fundamental changes to physician access:

Direct Primary Care’s (DPC) monthly membership fees should be allowed as an eligible HSA / FSA / HRA expense (are you surprised I made it this far before mentioning HSA?)

States should be given block grants to explore more effective health care delivery systems (i.e. HSA & DPC) for Medicaid, Medicare, and VA

Allowing healthy Americans to purchase underwritten health insurance plans at substantially lower rates has been called discrimination by some. That is true. Insurance companies discriminate.

What would happen to auto insurance rates if everyone paid the same regardless of driving records or previous accidents? Most would pay substantially higher, some would pay less.

What would happen to life insurance rates if everyone paid the same regardless of weight / tobacco use / health issues? Most would pay more, some would pay less.

Providing access to high risk individual insurance plans for the few that need it while allowing healthy individuals to purchase lower cost underwritten plans would make individual health insurance affordable again.

We discussed several of the mandates that will raise health insurance premiums such as guaranteed issue and the rarely mentioned time bomb known as the 3:1 Ratio. If only young people understood how ObamaCare will significantly increase their health insurance premiums, maybe they won’t be as eager to support Obama like 68% of them did in ’08.

There is still a chance to overturn the largest tax increase and re-distribution legislation in the history of our country. Your chance will come November 6th.

What Is An HSA?

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-deductible account to which you can contribute to save for future medical expenses or to pay for any day-to-day, qualified medical expenses permitted under federal tax law...[More]

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